With an ongoing need for the sanitation and disinfection of surfaces, UV light has been found to be an effective alternative to chemicals and germicides. Unlike many chemicals or germicides, which have been found to lose their efficacy ultimately leading to “superbugs” that are no longer responsive to said chemicals or germicides, UV light is highly effective at killing microbes, destroying their ability to reproduce, and thereby sanitizing against microbial as well as non-microbial sources (e.g., eggs, chemicals). Unfortunately, current UV devices are limited in either their efficacy, length of transmission, and/or emission spectrum. Current devices have a limited length of transmission and further require, in operation, frequent re-location as well as one or more optical filters, protective casings and/or guides for focusing and transporting the UV energy. Such devices may be acceptable for short distance transmission, such as a few millimeters, several inches or even a few feet, but cannot broadcast the full UV wavelength spectrum over a large distance with little or no gaps in exposure, especially for distances that exceeds a few feet.
There remains a need for effective sanitation and disinfection over a large area that provides broad spectrum protection against both microbial and non-microbial sources.